


Warmth.

by fraldariusVEVO



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Comfort, Elemental spirits, Eventual Sex, Fluff, Ice Spirit Ashe, M/M, Mutual Pining, regular working man dedue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:01:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21743419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fraldariusVEVO/pseuds/fraldariusVEVO
Summary: The wind dances around you. The stars in your eyes shine like they've been there for millennia. The Earth spins for you, and you only. Be my dearest...It can be hard to adapt. The ever-changing world around you can sometimes be too much to bear. Technology will keep advancing, people will keep growing, and the world will keep spinning. One day, you will be left behind. One day, you are going to become obsolete.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert & Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	1. Spirits.

**Author's Note:**

> i have ashedue brainrot. i saw frozen 2 and i liked the whole elemental spirits thing so here we are!  
> sorry for the way i write dedue in these first few chapters i was like. really indecisive on the tone i should use for him and i ended up using a lot of language that i feel doesnt /super/ fit so some parts are gonna be kinda weird but i promise its not going to stay that way! i know what im doing from now on LMAO i dont wanna pull an intsys on dedue, i want to do him some good.
> 
> questions comments and critiques are welcome!!
> 
> twt- @merrymilk_

"Dedue." a voice called from down an office corridor, "It's time to go home. Don't overwork yourself."  
A large man with gray hair stood up from an office cubicle that seemed far too small for his figure, "Of course, sir."  
"It's after work hours. Please, you can call me Dimitri." the voice came closer, revealing a man with blonde hair sloppily pulled into a ponytail.  
"Apologies," Dedue nodded, "Dimitri."  
"That's better. You're going home to rest, I hope?"  
"Perhaps. I'm not all that tired. I was hoping to get more work done-"  
Dimitri scoffed, "Ever the hard worker, aren't you? Are you ever going to use your vacation time? You know, the holidays are coming up. You should take some time off."  
"To do what? I have no family to visit. All I have is my work here."  
"You don't have friends?" Dimitri asked.  
"In my experience here it seems people spend time with their family during the holidays rather than with their friends. Besides, I have no friends to spend time with."

The two men gathered their belongings and walked to the parking garage of the office building. The wind was chilly, but it hadn't started snowing yet. It was already early December and the city had already started glowing with holiday cheer. Dedue was never quite sure what to make of it. His family back home celebrated Christmas, but it was never to this extent.

Dimitri started talking again, "You know, you could always come over to mine for Christmas. I'm sure my wife wouldn't mind."  
Dedue stared at Dimitri like he'd grown a second head, "But, you're my boss."  
Dimitri sighed, "Dedue... I've known you for years. Ever since I inherited this company from my father. I'd like to think we're more like friends than coworkers."  
"But you are my boss, Dimitri. Do you not think it's inappropriate to have a friendship outside of work?"  
"No, I don't. I think it's actually a good thing."  
Dedue looked at his feet, "Still, I'm not so sure." he looked back to Dimitri, "I will think about it. Thank you for the offer."  
Dimitri smiled, "That's all I ask. Drive safely, and get some rest! That's an order."  
Dedue laughed, "Yes sir."

Dedue had been living in this country for 9 years. He'd fled from his war-torn home country when his family was killed. Had it not been for Lambert Blaiddyd and his son Dimitri, Dedue is not sure he would have survived. Him and Dimitri argued constantly over the roles they played in his life, Dimitri arguing that he would have been fine without them and Dedue assuring him that without his fathers business, he would have had to return home. Dimitri didn't like it when Dedue underestimated himself like he often did.  
Remembering the past was often hard for Dedue. He preferred to live in the present, hiding in his work. He had made some friends over the past few years through Dimitri, but he never considered himself enough of a friend to them to justify continuing to talk to them.  
It started to rain. It was gentle. Dedue liked the rain, but he preferred the snow. Snow meant he could spend longer hours at work under the excuse that he'd rather wait for it to stop snowing to drive. It was either that, or he wasn't forced to leave his apartment so he could continue working on his paperwork from the comfort of his own bed. There was only one thing he disliked about the snow and that was that he couldn't go to the community garden when he wanted to and he also had to change out his plants on the balcony that had withered from the cold.  
Dedue parked his car in his spot and hurried into his apartment to make himself a late dinner and continue on his work. He was never sure of what to do when he wasn't working, gardening, or cooking. He had no one to talk to and nowhere to go. He didn't want to burden others with his presence.  
He sat down at his desk and turned on his television for some background noise while he worked and ate. There was a documentary on about ancient myths and legends. This episode in particular was about one of Dedue's special interests: elemental spirits. It wasn't so awfully different from what the people in his home country believed in.  
" _The Gaspardian elemental spirits were a staple of their beliefs. Every element had a spirit. Earth, water, fire, ice, you name it._ " a man on the television said. He was apparently a doctor, " _They believed these spirits could take on human forms and that they would guide the people of Gaspard on how to take care of themselves and the planet. It was believed that these spirits inhabited the entire world over, and not just in Gaspard territory._ "  
Dedue thought that was fascinating. His people believed in multiple Gods, but they were so specific to their country. They believed the Gods only served them there, and no one else from anywhere else.  
" _Let's say you're living in Florida. That's thousands of miles away from Gaspard territory in Europe. You still could run the chance of meeting a Gaspardian elemental spirit. It wasn't one spirit for one element. It was many spirits for many elements, all over the world._ "  
"All over the world..." Dedue whispered to himself. Part of him wished they were real. He'd come to be so infatuated with the history of Gaspardian spirits that he wished he could meet one. He knew that would never happen, though. The other part of him knew it was all myth. He didn't believe in anything anymore.


	2. Accepted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am. SO sorry this is so late. i literally had the first three chapters typed and then life. ECH. anyway i'm gonna try to be better about posting!! i'm also sorry the chapters are so short ;--; i'm trying to get back into the swing of writing after not doing it for a long time. enjoy!!

"Can you hold, please?"

"No! I want to speak with your boss!"

"Ma'am, I have to put you on hold first."

"Just put me on the line with your manager!"

Dedue sighed, "Yes, ma'am, I will but I have to put you on hold first." he pressed the hold button.

"This job sucks, doesn't it, Dedue?" a voice from the cubicle over spoke. A red haired man with strikingly good looks peaked past the divider between them.

"I don't think it's so bad." Dedue responded.

The man sighed, "C'mon, Dedue. Don't you wanna do something different with your life? We only have a fixed amount of time on this earth. You really wanna spend the rest of it here?"

"Sylvain, this job provides me with everything I need to live comfortably. If you do not like it so much, why do you not leave?"

"Because I can't get another job." the man named Sylvain smiled and went back to his work. Dedue chuckled. He knew that wasn't true. Sylvain was extremely smart and talented. It would be easy for him to leave. He couldn't say that to him, though. He didn't think they were close enough.

It was closing time again. Everyone except Dimitri and Dedue had gone home. It was a never-ending cycle of Dimitri having to come out and tell Dedue to go home, and then Dedue asking to stay just a little longer. Tonight was a little different, though.

"Hey Dedue." Dimitri stopped behind his chair, "Byleth and I were thinking of going to our cabin up north for a few days. It'll just be me, her, and Rina. You're more than welcome to come with us."

Dedue looked up at his boss in shock, "What? Why would you invite me?"

Dimitri sighed and leaned against Dedue's desk, "Because, Dedue... you're like family to me. You've always been there for me when I've needed you. I don't even think I'd be able to properly run this business without you."

"You think of me as family?"

"Well, yeah! I've known you for almost a decade now. You were at my wedding, you were there when my daughter was born... You're like a brother to me." Dimitri smiled at Dedue. This was shocking to hear for him because Dedue had always just assumed... well, he wasn't sure what he assumed. Now that he thought about it, it kinda was like they were brothers. The thought put a smile on Dedue's face.

"Hey! You're smiling! Finally. Come on, come with us! Rina misses her Uncle Dedue."

"Uncle… I don't think I'll ever get used to that." Dedue responded. He loved Rina like she was his niece. She was two years old now.

"I think it could be good for you to get away for a few days. No work, no stress. The cabin is on a lake in the woods so it's pretty secluded. It's nice and relaxing."

Dedue nodded, "I will think about it. When are you going?"

"Next week. Don't think too hard. No is also an acceptable answer. I don't want to force you to come if you don't want to."

"Of course. Thank you, sir. I mean- Dimitri."

Dedue's drive home tonight had a different air to it. He felt calm, but there was something inside of him getting riled up. He thought maybe Dimitri was right; a few days away could be good for him. He kind of deserved it. It wasn't like him to think of himself, but part of him did want a vacation. The woods sounded like the perfect place to settle down and relax for a while.

Dedue daydreamed of the crisp, frozen air in the woods. The leaves would have fallen and it would smell so fresh. He wanted to look up towards the gray sky through the withering trees and just. Relax. He wouldn't get any work done tonight. He ate quickly, and dozed off to dream of a woodsy wonderland filled with snow and forest spirits. Spirits that would guide him to a life of calm, welcoming warmth.

He felt inclined to accept Dimitri's invitation.

The next day was Dedue's day off. He grew increasingly bored these days with nothing to do. He decided to stop by work anyway, even if he wasn't actually working. Dimitri spotted Dedue entering the building during the afternoon.

"Dedue!" He called out.

"Oh, Dimitri. I wanted to talk to you." Dedue smiled at him. He was getting used to it.

"What's up?"

"I accept your invitation. I would love to come to your cabin with you and Byleth. It sounds... nice."

Dimitri was floored to hear that Dedue had agreed to go, but he was ecstatic nonetheless, "Wonderful! I'll let her know! This is going to be wonderful. The cabin is already decorated for Christmas and, well, we've already gotten you gifts, so-"

“You've already gotten me gifts?" Dedue questioned.

"Must you really be surprised?"

"Well, I'm never sure what to get you. It seems you already have everything you want."

"Indeed, I do. I have a wonderful family. That's all I need."

"THAT'S CHEESY!" Sylvain yelled from the elevator he'd just stepped off of into the main entrance of the building.

"Be quiet, Sylvain." Dimitri half-scolded him.

"Why didn't you invite me, huh? I've known you my whole life! You got five bedrooms in that cabin, don't you?" Sylvain joked.

"I didn't invite you cause Rina is scared that if you're there, Santa won't come," Dimitri flashed a smirk and Sylvain faked a hurt expression like he was crying.

"I'm wounded, really," he said, "Nah, I'm just kidding. I don't like the woods anyway. I'd rather sit at home with my boyfriend watching stupid Hallmark movies. I love how he berates the characters and their choices."

"Felix actually sits and watches those with you?" Dimitri asked curiously.

"Kinda. He spends most of the time complaining about them," Sylvain shrugged, "but with him, I take what I can get. It's usually worth it."

"Anyways," Dimitri turned back to Dedue, "I look forward to this trip. I hope you can get some much needed rest."

Dedue smiled and nodded, "Thank you. I appreciate the invitation."


End file.
